Honolulu, like many great cities, grew up around a harbor. In the late 1700s when Captain William Brown discovered the inlet known as Kou, the harbor was the only accessible anchorage in all the Hawaiian Islands and provided refuge for Asian trade ships. The captain named it Fair Haven. In time, Honolulu replaced Fair Haven in ship charts and sailor talk. In Hawaiian, hono means bay and lulu means calm.
Honolulu harbor was filled with ships, first explorers, then merchants, and, in 1820, the missionaries arrived.
Today, the Aloha Tower and the four-masted sailing vessel, the Falls of Clyde, commemorate the years when Honolulu Harbor was the "Crossroads of the Pacific." Heading inland from the shoreline, history breathes in places like the 'Iolani Palace, the only palace on U.S. soil; the Mission Houses Museum, built in the early 1800s by Christian missionaries; and Washington Place, built in 1846 and the home of Queen Lili'uokalani, who resided there from 1893, following the overthrow of the Hawaiian Monarchy, until her death in 1917. In recent decades, it has been the official residence of Hawaii governors and now has been renovated to house a museum.
The Cathedral of Our Lady of Peace, established in 1843, is the oldest cathedral in continuous use in the United States. One of Hawaii's most revered priests was ordained in the cathedral in 1864. The Blessed Father Damien died in 1889 after devoting his life to serving leprosy victims confined to Molokai. The cathedral is located at 1184 Bishop St.
Tours of these and other downtown Honolulu historic sites are available and will shed light not only into turbulent events like the U.S. overthrow of the Hawaiian Kingdom, but also into the splendid resiliency of the Hawaiian culture.
Mo'olelo conducts half-day walking tours through historic buildings in Honolulu's Capitol District. The tours, conducted by seasoned docents, link downtown museums and buildings with the people who lived there. The organization has published a guide called "Discover Historic Honolulu," which is available in selected locations throughout Oahu.
